Nashua United Way Offers Details About Experiential Homeless Event

NASHUA, NH —The United Way of Greater Nashua has announced details of its 7th annual United We Sleep To End Hunger & Homelessness, which offers participants an "experiential homeless scenario," while raising money for several local charities.

The event will take place overnight from Oct. 14 to Oct. 15 at Nashua Community College. Details about signing up for the event, sponsoring a participant or making a charitable donation are available online.

During the event, participants will sleep out in the elements, while also learning from local experts about the causes of homelessness in Greater Nashua, and potential solutions.

Participants — both individuals and teams — will raise funds through sponsorships. Teams sometimes are sponsored by employers that "match" dollars raised, organizers said.

According to organizers, the fundraising goal for an individual participant is $500, while a team of three or more has a fundraising goal of $2,000. For youth, the minimum fundraising goal is $100, while the goal is $500 for a team of youngsters.

The funds raised directly support the Greater Nashua Safety Net of critical services, a group of 29 programs, across 17 agencies, that include: Boys and Girls Club, Front DoorAgency, Marguerite's Place, Family Promise, Adult Learning Center, Adult DayCenter and the Dental Connection.

"Taken together, these 29 programs are the backbone in our community to create access to the building blocks of a good life: health, education, and financial stability," said Michael Apfelberg, president of United Way of Greater Nashua.

Over the past six years, the United We Sleep event has raised over $365,000 to help fund these programs, according to United Way.

Organizers of the United We Sleep event said that in order to replicate homelessness, albeit for one night, participants are asked to keep their "belongings" to a minimum at the event: one sleeping bag, no change of clothes, one jacket or sweater, a toothbrush but no toothpaste.

Food will be served, but organizers said participants should not expect too much food.

Individuals raising $500 more than the minimum can bring a pillow, while individuals raising $1,000 more than the minimum have the option to sleep in their car.

"For one night in October, you will join dozens of Greater Nashuans in learning about the issues of extreme poverty and exploring pathways to success," United Way of Greater Nashua said in a statement. " You will share stories and learn from local experts as you sleep out in the elements, with one eye open in the cold, and experience a small semblance of what our homeless population experiences day in and day out.

"You will join together in support of our community in a unique and deeply satisfying way. We invite you to join us this year in sleeping united to end hunger and homelessness."